Key facts
- A Nigerian Air Force plane crashed Monday in Ondo state.
- All 25 people on board, including 20 passengers and five crew members, died.
- The aircraft was on a routine mission to Lagos.
- President Bola Tinubu declared three days of national mourning.
- The cause of the crash is under investigation.
A Nigerian Air Force ATR-42 aircraft crashed on Monday in southern Nigeria's Ondo state, resulting in the deaths of all 25 individuals on board, officials confirmed.
The plane, which was on a routine mission to Lagos, disappeared from radar and was later discovered to have crashed near a naval base in Igbokoda. The Nigerian Air Force stated that the aircraft was carrying 20 passengers and five crew members.
Nigeria's President Bola Tinubu has declared three days of national mourning and ordered flags to be flown at half-mast across the country. He also directed the Nigerian Air Force to conduct a thorough investigation into the cause of the crash to prevent future incidents.
While officials confirmed 25 people were on board, Nigeria's Aviation Minister Festus Keyamo had previously stated the aircraft was carrying 32 people, a discrepancy that was not immediately clarified. The ATR-42 is often utilized by the Nigerian military for intelligence, surveillance, reconnaissance, and personnel transport.
Witnesses reported hearing a sound like thunder and seeing the plane clear trees before it crashed near a river, where it was partially sinking. The extent of the damage and the specific cause of the accident remain unclear.